November 10, 2008

A Daily Galaxy post last year, The Importance of Being Forgetful, featured the built-in neural process of forgetting, which discussed why the average human brain is equipped with the ability to filter through seemingly irrelevant details. While the average person may not have vast memory resources, it appears to be an evolutionary trade-off that allows the majority of us to focus on the most relevant facts.

However, some of the most incredible minds on Earth lack this ability
to filter irrelevant facts, or perhaps it is more accurate to say that
to a savant, the irrelevant IS relevant, and incredibly so. Somehow
their brains are able to store and access incredible loads of
information, even perceiving and relating to this information in an
entirely different way.

Stephen Wiltshire is considered an autistic savant. He has an ability which can certainly be described as a “super power”. Sometimes referred to as the “human camera”, Wilshire has the unnerving ability to draw exact replicas of intricate structures, buildings and landscapes—virtually anything he lays eyes on—after a quick glance. Without taking notes or drawing rough sketches, Wiltshire methodically replicates what his eyes have seen down to the exact number of windows in tall skyscrapers.

While watching a video (see link below) of Stephen drawing Rome, it almost seems as if he is a character straight from NBC’s popular TV series Heroes—born with a superhuman ability. Like many other savants, Wiltshire’s mind is a mystery. He did not speak his first words, “pencil” and “paper” until he was five years old. Savants like Wiltshire seem to have been born fundamentally different.

Imagine being able to learn one of the most difficult languages on Earth, Icelandic, in just 7 days. Well known Savant, Daniel Tammet, makes is look easy. His extraordinary abilities are linked to synesthesia. He “feels” numbers in terms of texture, shape and color. Some scientists believe that the epileptic seizures he suffered as a small child, which nearly ended his life, somehow unlocked the door to an incredible ability that may be inherent in all humans.

Individuals have been known to develop extraordinary abilities much later in life, or after severe brain trauma. Alonzo Clemons, for example, developed an incredible talent, which appears to have emerged directly following a head injury as a child. He can see a fleeting image (on a television screen for example) of any animal, and in less than 20 minutes sculpt a perfect replica of that animal in three-dimensional accuracy. The wax animal is correct in each and every detail, down to each fiber and muscle.

Similarly, Orlando Serrell did not possess any unusual skills until he was struck by a baseball on the left side of his head on August 17, 1979 when he was ten years old. Serrell suffered from a long headache, but after the headache ended, Orlando inexplicably had the ability to perform calendrical calculations of amazing complexity. He can also recall details of his life, like the weather, where he was, and what he was doing every day since the day that baseball hit his head.

Because of cases like these, some scientists believe that the potential to express multiple super-abilities is a universal trait, but is obscured by the normal functioning intellect. In the case of some savants, it is believed that damage to the brain has somehow disrupted normal functioning and therefore allows the brain to express these incredible skills and abilities. Various researchers have noted how many “disabled” individuals are simultaneously “superabled” through some little understood phenomenon.

Mind expert Allan Snyder of the University of Sydney and director of Centre for the Mind, is certain that all people have these latent super abilities, but only some are able to express them through “malfunctions” of overriding brain functions.

"They are exceptional in that they can tap in and somehow we can't. They have privileged access," said Snyder.

So, if all of us have latent super-abilities, is it possible to activate them permanently, or at least periodically, without compromising normal brain functioning? Probably, say the Australian scientists who used transcranial magnetic stimulation to temporarily switch off the frontal temporal lobe of volunteers. Afterwards the subjects showed an immediate improvement in calendar calculating, naming the day of the week of any recent history event, and in their artistic abilities. Of course these were just the abilities tested. Scientists do not know all of the latent abilities that humans may possess.

It has been predicted that more advanced neurological studies may someday discover how to allow “Regular” people to tap into the incredible latent powers of their own mind, and thereby unleashing some of the “superhuman” potential in all of us.

Comments

Hey i dont know how to put this i know people make this shit up but im both excited and terified because i think i have Tk
first i made a door shut i just thought it was the wind at first then today when i was doing my coursework i got so angry a glass smashed and my pen flew half way across the room :/
but then my head hurt could this be a sign of Tk i really need to know thank you

I have an ability, and i would like to know more about it. I don't think the same as everyone else, I pay attention to every thought processed even the small ones and I can control of the involuntary muscles of my body. i put this as simple as i could but there is more than im telling you. please feel free to contact me. i would love to know more about me.

omg this is all quite interesting but like come on i believe in most of this bull **** but like who cares? 50 years from now most of us will be dead war is on going because of dumb freaking polaticians n governments n stuff and what r they fighting over land... big freaking deal the worlds gone to hell like they say its their land or w.e devided it up into countries n shit but why for what? wasnt alwayse like that dont need to be as far as im concerned it aint their land like how can someone be the PRESIDANT or MAyer of land its like saying im the king of everyone my age because... well i dont have a good reason neither do thos guys anyway bout the brain thing who cares live life stop worrying about unlocking shit u learn from taking in information i think its all randome u get hit on the head it might cause brain damage or might boost a part of ur brain givgin u say calculating skills or somthin thats that

They all mostly have to be damaged, disrupted from their prime brain managemnet, I naturally don't.

With one glance, even the slightest movement in a face or body movement, I can tell every little thing they think of and what they feel. It's scared people even of of my family member.

I am soon on the verge of discovering how to use other abilities. First staretd by altering wind power then that soon whent and my mind formed to a greater use.

I have had no injury before, a cut will not bleed but a gash will and yet will stop within at least 1 min, I am natural and know how the brain 'works'. i never speak of in public much, trouble will happen.

Thousands years ago when all are ONE, two friends entered a journey of disagreements. Friend-A insulted Friend-B assimilating hih/her to an animal and warned him/her not to come near. Friend-A drew a line on the ground separating territory, giving birth to a new country with a new dialect. Friend-B swore never to feast on the animal he/she was assimilated to, giving birth religion. The rest is accumulated history or matter. Questions will follow answers will follow questions. .. .. ..

nice, good explanation, could have but were does this lead into about powers etc? good tho, don't get me wrong (thumbs up) and your gonna think "what's he on about, im gonna write soemthing, I know what ppl think anywere. or is that just a guess? lol

the capacity to reproduce things seen only for few minutes is photographic memory. its seen naturally in children below age of 12.gradually decreaces as v grow. it can be reacquired by continuous practice.see a picture continuously. do not blink eyes inbetween

your brain is a thinking organ wile you are sleeping your brain stays awake through the night catching up wat we do in the day thats why it is importend to sleep or have a rest if not thats what causes head iches.Your brain cherished memories and dreems it homes ir if you can read this ym barni is celevr your brain is 50% faster than other people your brain is the most importent thing in your body if your brain did not work we would all look like dummies

lol if your brain didn't work then we would die :P anyways, try doing this

If you are able to figure this out and fully imagine it you will be able to understand and unlock.
Imagine a person walking down some were, it doesn’t have to be a place or the person doesn’t need any detail e.g. face, age, clothing etc. Once imagining that, make the person walking imagine something, make this imagination something simple, like a painting on canvas or a sky etc. Once done, you have to imagine both the person and the person’s imagination at the same time.
Once imagining the person and their imagination at the same time (it should not be seen as the person in one window and the person’s imagination in the other, it should be in one window alone) you should be able to understand. Remember the person is walking, never let it stop never let it stop imagining.

How do you define "super powers?" The capabilities of the human mind extend far beyond your conscious imagination. Our minds are responsible for all that exists. Everything in the world that exists originated from one single thought. Often people who are missing one of their 5 sense organs have heightened awareness in their other senses making them a genius compared to most people whose awareness is divided equally between their 5 senses. If you call it "super power," our mind has the power to create before us whatever we think about when used properly. People that don't understand how the mind works, actually produce what they "don't want" more often than what they "do want." Read this post to understand why and how exactly you are attracting what you "don't want."
http://www.personalgrowthpages.com/positive-negative-attracts

We Humans Haven't Really Learned About The Brain 100% Yet...
But I Have Heard Someone Who His Brain is Really Big..
He Lives In The U.S.. He Could Lift Things By Using His Brain... But I Think Its A Lie..
Or Its True..

this is dumb...most of the people who commented were focusing on speaking Icelandic in 7 days....perhaps realizing that our brains (and bodies) are full of endless possibilities that have yet to be realized, would be more, intriguing and hopeful, especially to those who see these "gifts" as a curse

Excellent article. When i posted my articles in digg I was checking for related articles and I found your site. As you stated brain has amazing super powers. Unlocking the brain in the early age is must for awesome brain growth.

I hope somebody reads this and tells me what happening my e-mail is sunknown97@yahoo.com i am 14 and i dont know whats happening i can 10/20 or twice as close i have seemingly hypersensitive hearing super awarness its hard to describe but i almost have an influence on things or i can estimate probabilities and decide the right answer but that is only developing i am super smart and very strong for my age and what i do all day and i know things i shouldnt know but no idea how and i have had many different encounters with death cancer seizures you name it and i had it early on i was born several months prematurely and i have very good memory as well as i can picture things almost like a photographic memory but i can imagine night vision photo negative and anything else if ive seen it before as well as if i see a room then i see it in pitch black i can imagine it as very bright i know i say super alot in my typing but i am just freaked out most of it started in september of 08 when i started to have chronic migranes and i have had 20/20 vision for as long as i can remember untill the recently i dont have any headaches any more but i have all this different things and they truely scare me sorry if i type alot but this i fear is just the begining and i dont know what will happen next

I hope somebody reads this and tells me what happening my e-mail is sunknown97@yahoo.com i am 14 and i dont know whats happening i can 10/20 or twice as close i have seemingly hypersensitive hearing super awarness its hard to describe but i almost have an influence on things or i can estimate probabilities and decide the right answer but that is only developing i am super smart and very strong for my age and what i do all day and i know things i shouldnt know but no idea how and i have had many different encounters with death cancer seizures you name it and i had it early on i was born several months prematurely and i have very good memory as well as i can picture things almost like a photographic memory but i can imagine night vision photo negative and anything else if ive seen it before as well as if i see a room then i see it in pitch black i can imagine it as very bright i know i say super alot in my typing but i am just freaked out most of it started in september of 08 when i started to have chronic migranes and i have had 20/20 vision for as long as i can remember untill the recently i dont have any headaches any more but i have all this different things and they truely scare me sorry if i type alot but this i fear is just the begining and i dont know what will happen next

i finaly remembered something usually i dont forget things but thats not one of those things i beleive i have the power of adaptation it freaks my friends out but i will be playing a game for seconds at a time and i will become better than my friends at it when i have played for that day alone and they've played it for months or years and when they are about to say something i say it first as well as when they are thinking of something i say something about it and i know what they are thinking or feeling very quickly it is in development another thing about games that i play i can never get cornered or traped i always know what will happen before it does i beleive i have many others but if you want to know what they are e-mail me at sunknown97@yahoo.com

Mostly its injury to the left hemisphere cerebral cortex that causes these examples of perfect recall, increased rational, creative, abstract and math capacities. The Mag-cap experiments metioned suppressed this left outer frontal region for simular results.
It turns out that this area has specialised in primates, and especially us, to proof read sensory input and creative/intelligent thoughts which feed in or are generated through the right cortex. with 95% of people any observations or ideas that are non-conformist to the troop belief systems and cultural constructs:
-Deleted/suppressed without concious awareness of them even existing.
Slows and murks up thinking by having to check every thought, sight, sound for safe conformity so that the individual doesn't get booted from the troop as a heretic.

5% of us have clear heads and objective observational capacities. Sometimes with conscious awareness of irrational left brain primate babbles. If not its often called aspergers.

Alpha primate behavior is the triggering of the LeftCortical alpha ape instincts with loss of any rational thinking or cooperative behaviour capacity. Triggered by power and money. Bash anyone that might become a rival or leadership threat is the only objective. Thats why we have wars.
Many of the whales are much smarter than us. Orcas the smartest.
Telepathy happens all the time. And you'd be surprized how much clearer your thoughts and memories are when you ain't in your body at all. The Dark Matter component of our consciousness is much smarter than the grey goop in our heads. Can time travel too. All you gotta do is stay awake when you sleep. Everyone is flying around tens of km above their bodies when they are dreaming. Clairvoyance teaches you a lot. I got the nickname xavier for being able to see people anywhere. Go straight to them in a big city. See where they live in distant cities straight thru the earth. Most people can dilate time. And everyone feels a couple secs into the future. Playing pool or darts uses this. Even walking.

Congratulations Kyle. You wouldn't be experiencing these things if you hadn't earned the privilege. Don't be scared. Many people are out there who know what you are going through. Fascinating thing how many in fact. And you may find the right ones to help you find your peace and understand how it all works will appear out of the blue when you need them. I know very well how unnerving it can be.

I had a lot of what you describe at your age. But took another 20 years before understanding it and a 3 month period of rather intense "awakening" of a bundle of other stuff you are describing.
I'll email you and put a bit more up here tommorrow too.
Something that annoyed the hell out of me is how coming from the church of science and having no capacity for faith meant that I had to study what was going on to understand it after experiencing a lot of stuff I'd never heard of. Still, at least that pretty much proved to me that I hadn't lost my marbles and stsrted imagining a delusional reality - When I read about and met people who were very familiar with the same experiences.

You have strong abilities in whats called ideational telepathy. Its a higher level form of telepathy compared to basic common tele-empathic linking. Feel proud. This is why you absorb others skills and ideas. I have always had that one myself. It can annoy other people a lot at times. Well done spotting it so young, you can probably save yourself a lot of that trouble being aware of it.
The superhearing is basic normal timespace "seen world" clairaudience. They say buddist monks who have graduated to higher dimensional awareness- "nirvana" they call it can hear the ash from a stick of incence hit the floor across a room full of people. Its not distance limited. You lie in bed at night and move your ears around the neighborhood, zooming in on every rustle in the grass. Though once while doing that I tapped into a televerbal circuit that hurt like hell- for a couple of seconds there was about 1000 loud conversations in lots of different languages in my head all at once. And not like a crowded room talking, like I could hear them all seperately simultaneously. It nearly blew my head off before I got to the off switch. I asked this girl I'd been chatting a lot with that week if she knew what that was like the next day. Turned out she did. She can't go into cities because she has that and can't turn it off herself. I suspected I'd absorbed it from her.

Simular with the sight you are talking about. Thats "seen world" clairvoyance.
More later.
Serenity brings serendipity ;-)
be happy. Its a kinda magic.
You'd be surprized how much superpowers in popular fiction are real.
:-)

» Does the Human Brain Possess Potential Super Powers? from PlugIM.com
A Daily Galaxy post last year, The Importance of Being Forgetful, featured the built-in neural process of forgetting, which discussed why the average human brain is equipped with the ability to filter through seemingly irrelevant details. [Read More]

Tracked on March 26, 2008 at 08:09 AM

» Does the Human Brain Possess Potential Super Powers? from www.buzzflash.net
A Daily Galaxy post last year, The Importance of Being Forgetful, featured the built-in neural process of forgetting, which discussed why the average human brain is equipped with the ability to filter through seemingly irrelevant details. [Read More]